Locked in Love
by Brightpool of DreamClan
Summary: Sunnypaw is a cat with a former kittypet life who loved to work with others. She starts to love Wolfpaw, but would he love her? She's a she-cat who's never noticed, and Wolfpaw's a tom who's popular and loved. Can she overcome the barrier and get him to love her? What will happen if she has to give up love to live? What happens if someone else loves her and she cannot refuse? R&R!
1. Prologue

**Prologue**

"Sunny!"

"Shine!" she shrieked, staring after her sister, who was being carried off by Twolegs. "Shine, come back!" she yowled.

The rain pattered down onto Sunny's head, and she cringed in the cold. The Twolegs were already padding farther away. "Shine!" she screamed. She heard her sister's cries, but there was no use. She couldn't do anything about it.

Then there was a roaring noise, and Sunny shuddered. She had heard about the roar of the water, the way it swiftly swallowed everything in it's path. _A flood!_

Sunny hurried up a tree, her claws blunt and useless. She clawed at the bark, but it was slippery and too smooth for her to climb. Too late, Shine was swept off her paws and was left in the swirling waters to die. "Sunny, save me!"

Sunny faced the churning water, her heart set to save her sister. She dove into the water, but the wave of icy cold river water hurled her about, causing her to lose her sight. "Sunny!"

The small she-cat was dunked under the surface, and she gulped down water. Coughing and spluttering, Sunny emergerd from the flood and searched for Shine. "Shine, where are you?" the she-cat cried, horrified.

The water kept coming, faster than ever. Sunny was swept off her paws once more, and she struggled to stay afloat. Shine emerged farther ahead, her breath coming in gasps. Sunny spotted her and swam desperately for her. "Shine, I'm coming!"

But the pale she-cat cried out as another wave caused her to tumble long the river side. Sunny gritted her teeth as she paddled forward, only to be swept right past her target.

Breathing hard now, Sunny tried to relax and let the flood sweep her along. But the water was greedy, and it swirled around her, attacking her and pushing her down. Sunny screamed as the water pulled her underneath the surface. She closed her stinging eyes, and pushed upwards.

She could no longer breathe. There was nothing around her to help her stay afloat, and she was too small to even get up.

Laying limp, she heard a soft cry of dismay. _Shine!_ Sunny thought desperately. Her sister needed her help. Launching herself upwards, Sunny fought for air. Erupting from the freezing torrent, Sunny searched the banks for Shine.

"Shine?"

The rain had slithered to a stop, and the flood gradually stopped flowing. Sunny lay limp on the shore, her breath coming in gasps of horror.

Her sister was nowhere to be seen, and Sunny gulped back a wail or sorrow. She struggled to stand up, her legs soaked and her fur plastered onto her side. _Where are you?_ she thought desperately, her amber eyes frantically darting around.

Then she saw her poor sister. Shine was stretched out a few feet away, her body still and small. Sunny let out a cry of dismay and staggered over to her.

"Oh, Shine…" she whispered. "It would have been better if you stayed with the Twoleg." Tears sprung to her eyes. "We both should have stayed as kittypets…"

She bowed her head, her tears staining the sodden ground. Shine's body was still, and her flank no longer moved. "Shine!" Sunny wailed, throwing her head up to face the dark, dreary sky. Tears stung at her eyes and she didn't even bother to try and hold them back as her cracking voice split the cold air.

"Why did you have to die?"

_And the rain came down_

_Like tears of the sky_

_But there was nothing left_

_In the world left to die_


	2. Chapter I

**Chapter I**

I was curled up in my nest, my dream flaring in my mind. I shuddered, remembering the terrible moment when I lost Shine to the flood. After the flood, the WaterClan cats had found me, and I'm glad they did, because right then I had felt helpless, worried, scared and I had nowhere else to go.

"Sunnypaw!" That was my mentor calling, but I ignored her at first. "Sunnypaw, we have to go and do battle training!" I knew we had to, but I didn't want to. Not right now, and not usually.

Sunmark stuck her head in. "You okay, Sunnypaw?"

"No."

Sunmark gritted her teeth. "At least come out so we can start your training sessions," she mewed. "You can come back and mourn later."

"Mourning can't be put off!" I yowled irritably. "She's gone, and I want to accept that." My voice lowered into a soft whisper. "But I can't."

My mentor sighed. "Sunnypaw, you're keeping everyone waiting. Get out of your nest and let's go." She turned around, and stalked out of the clearing. I remember being an avid kit, willing to do anything Shine dared me to do. Now? I'm useless and unwanted.

A group of young tomcats walked past me and halted. I narrowed my eyes.

"Hey Badgerpaw, look at that despicable she-cat!" Stonepaw, one of the apprentices, sneered. "She's nothing but a piece of dirt. She can't even keep her pelt clean enough, and it's not even bright, even though it's yellow!"

Badgerpaw snorted and prodded Wolfpaw. "Look at the famous she-cat, Wolfpaw. Now will you admit she's ugly?"

I hid my face. I knew I had no features that qualified me as beautiful, but their words stung at my heart. It happened everyday, and maybe the pain was already numbing. I waited for Wolfpaw to say the same, and prepared for the pangs of sadness. But all he did was grunt and say, "She looks fine to me, fellas, not sure what you're trying to tell me. Are you sure you haven't been looking at dirt so long that you thought she was dirt too?"

Smiling quietly, I glanced over my shoulder at Wolfpaw. He wasn't looking at me, but I was looking at him. His muscular shoulders were wide and steady, and his blue eyes shone with power and kindness. I was practically in love with him.

Lionpaw snickered from beside them, and Badgerpaw gave me a furious glare. Stonepaw muttered about something and sulked, walking away quietly.

"Sunnypaw!"

I whipped around and hurried to Sunmark's side. "Sorry," I murmured.

"As long as you're getting along with others, I'm fine. You just watch our for those bullies." She gazed at me worriedly. "I don't like how they always tease you."

I hummed quietly. "It's fine, they'll grow out of it." But I knew they wouldn't unless I showed them what I was worth. But the truth was, I was worth nothing.

Sunmark pointed ahead with her tail. "You're going to do water training with Ivypaw today. She'll show you the basics in swimming and using the water to help you in battle."

I stopped midstep, memories suddenly flooding back. "W-water training?"

Sunmark glanced back at me. "Yes, water training. Is there a problem?" Her amber gaze pinned me down. I shuddered and wanted to curl up into a ball.

"I don't want to touch the water."

My mentor furrowed her brow. "Sunnypaw, what's wrong?"

"The flood," I whispered softly, still shivering from fright and horror. Scenes flashed before my eyes. The pounding rain, the rising water level, then the overflowing water tide, and last of all, seeing Shine's limp, lifeless body on the ground. I wailed to myself, and shut out all the noises.

"What's wrong, Sunmark?" Leopardspots, Ivypaw's mentor, called out. "Is there something wrong with Sunnypaw?" Ivypaw bounded over to my side.

I didn't want any of them near me. They didn't understand my fear of water, they didn't understand anything about me. They just thought I was an unstable she-cat who couldn't do anything. Perhaps I really was that. Ivypaw put a paw on my shoulder, but I shook her off, growling.

She jumped back, her hazel-green eyes worried and she mewed softly, "What's wrong, Sunnypaw? You can tell me, you know."

Our mentors let us talk, and they stayed in the distance. I sat by the riverbank, trying to control my fear of the water. Then I sighed in defeat. The grief was building up inside of me and I had to tell some cat sooner or later. I started to talk, my voice barely a whisper at first.

"When I was little, right before I joined the Clan…"

_With the pounding rain_

_And the water rising_

_With the little figures_

_And the lone cat crying_

* * *

**Please review! I want to know whether I should continue or not. Thanks, guys! :)**


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